West Xtra: Central Valley trio heads to regional

HIGH SCHOOL GOLF

For the second consecutive year, three Central Valley High School golfers have qualified for the PIAA Class AA Western Regional Girls Golf Tournament.

What's different this time is that one of those players -- senior standout Macky Fouse -- is in possession of a WPIAL Class AA gold medal that she won on Sept. 30 at the individual championship that took place at Hill Crest Country Club in Lower Burrell.

Fouse shot a 2-over-par round of 75, two strokes ahead of teammates Marissa Sudar and Maddy McDanel, who finished in a second-place tie. Like Fouse, Sudar is a senior.

"We're very proud of all of the girls," said coach Larry Milosh, who brought five players to the WPIAL Class AA championship tournament.

McDanel, a sophomore, returns along with two other players who competed in the WPIAL final, freshman Alex Bozich and junior Amanda Scala.

"They finished 1-2-3," he said of Fouse, Sudar and McDanel. "This was a tough course against good competition. I'm proud of them, but this wasn't unexpected."

Bozich and Scala have plenty of season left as the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class AA champion Warriors are heavily favored to defend both titles in the team competition. The WPIAL Class AA team championship takes place today at Cedarbrook Golf Club in Rostraver.

While Fouse was happy with her own accomplishment, her beaming smile revealed that she's just as happy for McDanel and Sudar and the possibility of more WPIAL and PIAA Class AA team championships this year.

"I'm really close to all of my teammates, and it means a lot for the three of us to move on," she said. "Obviously, I wish it was all five of us. But we still have the team [events] to look forward to, and that's exciting, too."

Fouse, who played the back nine first at Hill Crest, said she drove well at the championship. That was a nice change of pace.

"I've struggled with it during my high school season," she said. "Today, I putted well, and it all came together today."

McDanel had hoped Bozich and Scala had also qualified, but she's pleased that she, Sudar and Fouse are returning to Tom's Run Golf Course near Blairsville for the Western Regional on Wednesday.

"I'm excited for the ones [who qualified]," she said. "They played really well, and they deserve it."

McDanel said the program has been successful because there's a real love for golf among the school's female players.

"We really love the game," she said. "We have to drive to get better, and we practice a lot."

Sudar, who finished on the front nine, said she putted well on the course's first nine holes when she shot a 36 after opening with a 41.

"I was warmed up at that point, and I was in the groove," she said. "And I was getting [the ball] closer to the hole on my approach shots."

Sudar said course knowledge is crucial at Tom's Run.

"You have to know what club to hit on certain holes and keep the ball in the fairway," she said. "Overall, it's a pretty easy course. That course [and Hill Crest] are about the same."

Milosh said the Warriors' days as the overriding power in Class AA might be coming to an end as his program could follow Penn-Trafford's lead and move into Class AAA.

"We may move up because of enrollment numbers," he said. "When they came out with [the numbers] a few years ago, we weren't aware of it, and we had to stay there for two years. But it is a real possibility. But we'll be losing two really good players in Macky and Marissa. Both have started in every match for four years."